Marin Readers' Forum for Feb. 20

We use it, send it down the sink, shower, dishwasher, washing machine and toilets into our sanitation district, which treats it and mostly sends it into and pollutes the bay.

Rains fill our creeks and reservoirs. It runs off roofs and hard surfaces, enters our sewer systems and eventually empties polluted water into the bay.

Sanitation district-treated waste water is not potable, but could be. The entire west is dry, and scientists are telling us be prepared for droughts that may last decades, or even centuries.

MMWD dismissed desalination (something that will be revisited). Why does not MMWD and the sanitation district use existing technology, very fine auto strainers and reverse osmosis (much cheaper than desal and does not have the problem of ruining the bay) to make the treated wastewater potable, free of pharmaceuticals, viruses and other tiniest contaminants?

This water could refill reservoirs and wells, keep creeks flowing and, yes, be drinkable.

Badly polluted runoff might be captured, pumped into the ground and filtered naturally.

Problematic sure, but technology can certainly find solutions.

Lastly, why are we wasting precious water on cotton and rice in California when the markets for such crops hardly exist, and are only profitable with federal subsidies?

Why not grow industrial hemp in the dry valleys, restoring precious humus to the soil. Since hemp will not be for consumption, it can be irrigated with poorer quality water.

Water evaporated with forests of hemp will help cool the air and save a boatload of trees.

George Shea, Fairfax

Paying for public pensions

Marin Deputy Sheriff Sean McKrell fails to address the two main issues of pension reform.

First, are pension levels fair? And secondly, are they affordable?

Like many, McKrell blames Wall Street for the "outcry behind reducing benefits for firefighters, police officers, teachers, and other public employees."

The outcry is actually from ordinary citizens across the country who have discovered that government employees have become the new elite.

According to www.transparentcalifornia.com, McKrell's total pay package, including salary, other pay, and total benefits, was more than twice Marin County's median household income of $90,535 for 2012. Likely, much of his annual pension will be based on this pay.

Is this really "scapegoating?"

There were over 100 county employees with total pay packages greater than $200,000 in 2012. There more than 400 Marin County employees with pay packages greater than $150,000.

Who is going to pay for the pensions on these wages and how? This question has still not been properly addressed in Marin County, and many other cities and counties in the U.S. This discussion has just begun.

James Bogin, Larkspur

Public or politicians

I want to thank the IJ for the recent excellent article on Novato's approved housing element with lower densities.

As one of the many Novato citizens that since 2010 have spent countless hours attending Association of Bay Area Governments meetings to understand that puzzle palace they run, as well as meeting with the state Department of Housing and Community Development and numerous City Council meetings, this only occurred due to the diligence of these many Novato citizens.

I found it very interesting and amusing we are now reading quotes about this success from Supervisor Judy Arnold.

When we were working on this issue, she was nowhere to be found and contributed nothing to this process.

Assemblyman Marc Levine was of no assistance, and his proposed legislation after this intense battle over Plan Bay Area can only be filed in the category of "better late than never."

Mr. Levine's voting for SB1 has the potential to eliminate all the hard work Novato did to get the lower state-mandated housing density.

I am from New Orleans, home of Mardi Gras, and we have a saying that if you want to find a politician start a parade and half way through look for the politician at the front leading with baton waving.